ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to sustained diplomatic dialogue and constructive engagement with Israel, exploring new avenues for technical cooperation despite ongoing geopolitical friction in the Middle East.
The diplomatic track was renewed on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, when Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, hosted the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, in Abuja.
In an official statement released on Wednesday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, both nations emphasized that high-level bilateral engagements remain critical to fostering mutual understanding and advancing shared global interests.
Leveraging Israeli Tech for Food Security
A central focus of the bilateral discussions was the transfer of specialized Israeli technical expertise to support Nigeria’s domestic development priorities.
Ambassador Freeman expressed strong confidence that Israel’s advanced agricultural systems and technological innovations could directly align with President Bola Tinubu’s national food security objectives. The proposed collaboration framework aims to expand joint initiatives across several critical sectors:
- Agriculture & Innovation: Deploying Israeli agritech to boost crop yields and optimize water management.
- Healthcare & Medicine: Scaling up ongoing technical cooperation and direct medical support programmes between both countries.
- Technology: Developing joint innovation frameworks to drive human capital development.
Middle East Security and Invitation to Jerusalem
The diplomats also held extensive discussions on volatile regional developments in the Middle East. Ambassador Freeman briefed the Foreign Minister on the current security situation in Israel, outlining the severe humanitarian and security implications of the ongoing conflict, while expressing hope for a peaceful resolution and greater regional stability.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that President Tinubu remains fully open to constructive dialogue with Israeli leadership to address issues of international concern.
As part of efforts to revive high-level official exchanges, Ambassador Freeman presented the Nigerian Foreign Minister with a formal congratulatory message from his Israeli counterpart, alongside an official invitation for her to undertake a state visit to Israel.
Multilateral Coordination
Beyond bilateral trade and tech transfers, the meeting touched upon closer coordination within international bodies, including the United Nations system and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Both parties reaffirmed the strategic importance of confidence-building measures in international diplomacy, pledging to maintain an open channel of communication on both regional and global issues of mutual interest.
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